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William (Bill) Bennett |
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December 16, 1935 ~ August 22, 2014 |
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August 24, 2014 |
William Bennett Jr. passed away peacefully at
his home near Moyie Springs, Idaho at the age of
78 on Friday, August 22. A graveside ceremony
will be held on Wednesday, August 27 at 11 a.m.,
open to all who knew and loved him.
William Bennett, known as Bill, was born
December 16, 1935 in Wascott, Wisconsin to
parents William and Leona Bennett. His love of
the outdoors and hunting, along with a simple
life of working hard and caring for family,
brought him to Bonners Ferry along with other
family members for a life of logging,
engineering, and law enforcement. As a young man
he proudly served in the U.S. Army in Korea
during the Korean War. He joined and served
alongside his friend and future brother in-law,
Chuck Lockman, and the two remained both friends
and family.
After his time in the military, he married Susan
"Susie" Kovar of Troy, Montana and they had a
daughter, Robin Marie, both of whom sadly
preceded him in death. He remarried in 1967 to
Cheryl Ann Lockman (now Myers) of Bonners Ferry.
After earning a degree in engineering, Bill
turned away from an opportunity to work at Cape
Canaveral in order to stay near extended family
and the wilderness life he loved. Bill worked
for a time with local law enforcement and ran
for Sheriff while raising three young children
-- Robin Ann, Travis William, and Charles
(Chuck) William. His love of the outdoors and
determination to better provide for his family,
with the addition of his youngest daughter,
Summer Joy, drew him back to a logging career.
Bill and Cheryl divorced and shared in a very
loving, united upbringing of their four children
together. In spite of military and logging
injuries, Bill not only continued working in
logging, carpentry, and auto repair, but also
was able to enjoy more time hunting, traveling,
and building his own home near Moyie Springs,
Idaho as his children grew. As a stubborn and
loyal Irish outdoorsman, Bill remained single
and happy to focus the remainder of his life on
his two great loves; hunting and providing for
his family.
Bill was preceded in death by his first wife,
Susie and the couple's only child, Robin Marie
in 1966, and by Travis William Bennett, his
oldest son with second wife Cheryl in 2010. Of
his nine siblings, he experienced the passing of
his brothers Irvin, Harold and Marvin "Muggs"
Bennett and sisters LaVerle Mullin, Geraldine
"Gerry" Bennett, Verona "Sis" Brittin, and Betty
Horn.
He is survived by brothers Ronald "Ronnie"
Bennett of Indiana and Vern Bennett of
California, along with many grandchildren and
extended family. His surviving children, Robin
Ann Bennett, 45, of Deer Park, Washington,
Charles "Chuck" William Bennett, 43, of Moyie
Springs, Idaho, and Summer Joy Bennett, 36, of
Bonners Ferry, Idaho remember their loving
father as very strong, honest, hard-working and
dedicated, and will sorely miss their dad's
example of how to be a dedicated, committed
parent, reliable friend, and charming,
trustworthy neighbor to all. He not only
expressed but showed his love in all he did and
wished for them, and all the lives he has
touched are better for having known him, and
bereaved in letting him go. |
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